Hater should look at himself, leave Aspen alone

Hater should look at himself, leave Aspen alone

In his recent letter to the editor (“You Aspen people disgust me,” Sept. 11, 2017, The Aspen Times), Sean Elias rants and raves as he vomits up the usual misinformed stereotypes about our town.

We have heard this type of commentary before about our tourists and second-home owners, but Mr. Elias reaches new lows by now complaining about those of us who actually live and work in Aspen. It seems Mr. Elias is upset that we are somehow complicit in supporting a lifestyle of which he disapproves. After all, Mr. Elias, who has anointed himself an arbiter of all things in good taste, is frustrated that we have the temerity to support our families and educate our children by selling “crappy” art, overpriced food and designer beverages.

In Mr. Elias’s personal nirvana, we would all buy the art he approves, eat the meals he chooses for us and pay the prices he sets. Fortunately for Mr. Elias, places like that already exist in Venezuela and North Korea, but I don’t see Mr. Elias grabbing the next flight to either of those countries. He would rather cry in his beer about Aspen.

Aspen is one of the most amazing communities on earth. The people who live and work here are interesting, accomplished and hard-working, and we are proud of our town.

So here is a news-flash for Mr. Elias: Those of us who call Aspen home don’t give a microscopic mouse turd about your ill-informed, vitriolic, unhappy, holier-than-thou view of our town. My advice would be to stand in front of a mirror with a dictionary and read the definition of “sanctimonious” slowly to yourself before you write your next drivel-filled letter.

Jerry Bovino

Aspen